Far-right agitator Vito Quiles brought his controversial tour to central Seville on Monday, an event marked by high tension, running, insults, and a heavy police presence. The gathering, part of his "Mafia or Patria" tour, was originally scheduled for the Puerta de Jerez at 6:00 PM but was relocated approximately 100 meters to Avenida de Roma following recommendations from the National Police to ensure security. While Quiles had officially notified government authorities of his event, antifascist groups organized an informal counter-protest one hour earlier at the same location without prior communication.
Altercations began around 5:00 PM as a group of young people dressed in black with covered faces ran toward those they identified as "Nazis," leading to chair-throwing incidents on Almirante Lobo Street. To de-escalate the situation, dozens of police officers deployed to contain the antifascist demonstrators near the Puerta de Jerez fountain. Protesters chanted slogans such as "Seville will be the grave of fascism" and accused the police of working for the influencer. Tensions peaked when three red paintballs were thrown toward officers, who raised their shields in response, though no physical contact occurred.
Behind a cleared zone of 100 meters protected by additional officers and vans, Quiles's audience waited. The crowd consisted mainly of young men, numbering over one hundred. When Quiles arrived around 6:30 PM accompanied by bodyguards, his supporters chanted insults against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and journalist Óscar Puente. Some attendees debated which political party Quiles supported, with one stating that the specific party mattered less than his opposition to Sánchez.
After a brief dialogue with police, Quiles agreed to deliver his speech in a small park about 150 meters from his original planned location. Using a megaphone, he framed himself as a persecuted man whose ideas were being targeted by "enemies of the nation." His short fifteen-minute address focused on victimhood, denying accusations of being Nazi or violent, while urging young people to vote en masse to remove what he called a "dictator" from La Moncloa. He cited Iván Espinosa de los Monteros as his political reference, alongside Amancio Ortega in business, Dani Carvajal in sports, and Iker Jiménez in television, contrasting them with figures like Borja Iglesias and David Broncano.
Quiles departed around 7:00 PM, but the risk of conflict increased as some of his followers approached the area where antifascist protesters remained blocked by police. Supporters shouted provocative slogans, prompting officers to physically shield a group of six young people from being harassed. As the crowds eventually dispersed into the night, the atmosphere remained charged with the potential for further street altercations, while Quiles continued to accumulate social media engagement.
Sources: El País Portada.